Tray clarifier



Aug. 26, 1941. I w. c. WEBER TRAY GLARIFIER FiledJuly 27, 1940" 4Sh eets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

WILLIAM C. WEBER ATTORNEY.

Aug. 26, 194l.- w. c. WEBER I TRAY CLARIFIER I Filed July 27, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTORIO WILLIAM C.WE BER .BYWM

' ATTORNEY.

1941- w. c. WEBER 2,253,878

TRAY GLARIFIER Filed July 27, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1M 'ENTOR.

A TTi )RNEY Aug. 26, 1941. Q WEBER 2,253,878

TRAY GLARIFIER Fild July 27, 1940' 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

WILLIAM C. WEBER (Liz... QM-um ATTORNEY.

Patented Au 26, 1941 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE my cmiurma ma G. Weber Weatport, Conn aaalgnor to Ino.,NewYork,N.Y.,a corporation of Delaware Application July 27, 1940, Serlal No. 347,837

, 11 Claims. (01. zio-ss) 'Tlio Dorr Company,

This invention relates to sedimentation and clarification. More particularly it relates to the removal by sedimentation of suspended solids, colloids and crystalloirls from liquids carrying some or all of such substances and the consequent production of two products comprising a relatively dense sludge or sediment of settled .substances and a relatively clarified liquid. The particular embodiment of the present invention resides in a tray clarifier comprising a tankdivided by substantially horizontal partitions or trays, into a plurality of superposed compartments equipped form of sediment or mud. The invention, however, has suitability for other industries where suspended solids are to be removed from their carrying liquid by means of sedimentation, with clarified liquid being one end product from the machine, and a thickened sediment or underflow being another.

Sugar juice, being organic, ofiers especial problems in its clarification since its impurities are largely gums and cellulosic products often in colloidal and crystalloidal form. These tend to be difilcultly settleable. For the purpose of mak-' ingtheimpurltim settleable, an object of this invention is 'to provide for flocculation, in the form of the known rotative bladed or paddle assemblies, for conditioning the suspended solids into settleability while at the same time to avoid having to rotate the fiocculating paddles at normal flocculating speeds which are of the order of 1.5 feet per second. This may be accomplished in accordance with the invention by causing the feed liquid to enter the flocculation compartment of the tray clarifier tangentially so that thereafter there is a certainrotary motion imparted to the liquid in the flocculation compartment. The fiocculating paddles or blades are rotated in this compartment countercurrent to the direction of rotation of the liquid. Thereby there can result relative motion between the flocculating blades and the liquid in the compartment that is of the order of 1.5 feet per second while the blades are not being rotated at that actual linear speed.

It has come to be accepted that best clarification is accomplished in a tray clarifier, if each sedimentation compartment thereof be supplied with a separate feed and a separate take-oil of clarified liquid-see for instance the patent to Rolston, No. 2,195,739 01' April 2, 1940. One manner of providing a separate feed of feed-liquid from a common supply in the form of a centrally disposed hollow column or cylinder that is tapped offv to each settling compartment is to be seen in the patent application of Weber et al., Serial No. 227,464, filed August 30,1938. That general method of feed is made use of in the embodiments of the present invention but. in this invention the column extends upwardly into, the flocculation compartment where its upper portion is provided with slots. More or less tangentially extending bailles are provided for deflecting rotating liquid from the flocculation compartment into the column through which it flows downwardly to be distributed to each of the subjacen't settling compartments.

In said Weber invention, the mud or sludge from'each superposed settling compartment is impelled into conduits which are formed within the feed column by means of chordal partitions. The idea behind such arrangement comprehended having the feed column divided into separate conduits through one of which feed liquid is supplied to individual compartments whereas mud or sludge from each compartment was passed therefrom into the mud conduits in the column and through them passed into the bottom compartment of the clarifier. g

Such a divided column arrangement has many commendable uses and its objective of keeping the incoming feed out of contact with the down going mud to avoid mixing of these two materials is excellent. .However, the apparatus of the present invention is designed so that the mud or sludge passm downwardly around the outside of the feed column, leaving the column to conduct solely the feed-liquid. Thus, in the apparatus of the present invention, the sludge path is annular and is defined by the exterior of the feed column as the bore of the annulus and by a succession of non-continuous cylindrical sections which are preferably non-aligned and which are "supported from the feed column and spaced circumferentially therefrom. Mud in passing downwardly from each superposed compartment through this path forms an annular curtain of falling mud. This arrangement provides for a less congested sludge discharge due in part at least, to the fact that it is possible to provide a sludge passageway of large cross-sectional area and that is substantially unobstructed throughout its length. Furthermore, the sludge is enabled to drop freely from the central openings in the various trays and it is not necessary to force the sludge through small openings in order to introduce it into the vertical sludge passageway. In addition to its operative advantages the arrangement of the present invention is found to present features of economy and facility from a manufacturing standpoint.

It is also contemplated that the non-continuous cylindrical sections support rake arms for the sludge or mud rakes or scrapers which are adapted to traverse the bottom of each sedimentation compartment, incident to the rotation of the center column assembly, and convey or impel settled material toward the center and into the annular sludge passageway just described.

The center column assembly of cylindrical feed column and attached surrounding cylindrical sections forming the annular sludge passageway, either with or without the rake arms, is a complete compact entity and can be manufactured as such and supplied for use in the apparatus of the present invention or in existing clarifler structures of other design. Thus such assembly forms an important and novel article of manufacture and is a prime feature of the invention.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the arrangement, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view substantially through the center of a round tray clarifler embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through a'portion of the central feed column taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section through a portion of the central feed column and adjoining settling compartments and the flocculation compartment of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view with certain parts broken away looking down on the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section on the-line 1-1 of Fig. 3 looking upward as indicated by the arrows; v

Fig. 8-is an elevation, partly in section, of the center column assembly showing the cylindrical feed column and surrounding cylindrical sections forming the annular sludge passageway;

and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section similar to Fig. 3 and showing a modifiedform of the central column assembly of the invention.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the general arrangement comprises a tray clarifler provided by a substantially round upstanding tank III having a bottom ll, preferably somewhat dished so as to slope toward the center, and a closed top furnished by a cover I2. While in some instances the cover l2 might be dispensed with, it is preferably employed when the device is used in the clarification of sugar juices, and the tank is preferably insulated in order to retain heat, since the clarification efficiency in sugar juices is a maximum at elevated temperatures. A scum chain ber l3 extends upwardly from the cover l2 in open communication therethrough with the uppermost compartment of the tank. From the scum chamber I3 there leads a closed launder or conduit I! through which scum, arising within the chamber l3 and passing over a weir [5 may be led to a point of ultimate disposal.

Spaced above the scum chamber l3 and sup-- ported from the tank top l2 by means of suitable legs is, is a bridge or platform structure composed of sets of horizontal beams I1 and I8. These beams form a seat for motivating means comprising a motor l9, power transmission mechanism 20 and stationary bearing means 2|, which latter rotatably supports the rotating center column assembly to be hereinafter described.

The interior of the tank In is divided by a series of substantially horizontal dished trays or partitions 22, into a plurality of superposed compartments comprising an upper flocculation or feed compartment A, intermediate settling or sedimentation compartments B, C, and D, and a lower sedimentation and sludge thickening compartment E. The feed supply enters the flocculation compartment A where it is subjected to mechanical agitative flocculation treatment as hereinafter described, and passes from thence through the central feed column to be distributed to the lower compartments B, C, D, and E, respectively. Sedimentation takes place in each of these lower compartments and a substantially clarified liquid is allowed to pass therefrom through clarified liquid draw-oil! pipes 23, the form and nature of which will be presently described. All sediment or mud settling in each of the compartments B, C, and D, is mechanically conveyed toward the center of the machine and into the vertical center sludge passageway to be hereinafter detailed, all sludge thus passing downwardly into the lowermost compartment E. In this compartment, means are preferably provided for inducing thickening of sludge and the release therefrom of entrapped liquid, and means are also provided for mechanically conveying sludge toward the center and into the central sludge discharge hopper 24 from whence all sediment removed from the liquid in the apparatus I is discharged by means of a valved pipe 25.

The feed column or conduit, constituting a prime feature of novelty in the present invention, extends vertically through the central portion of the tank and supports all of the moving preferably of the worm type, are associated with the bearing means 21 or the upper end of the column 26, whereby the same may be rotated at a desired speed'by the motor I! and power transmission mechanism 20. At its lower-end, the column or-tube 26 carries a fixed centrally aasaevs positive, be as gentle as possible with a minimum 4 disposed extension in the form of a shaft 26, secured in the lower end of the feed column by a spider 29. The shaft 26 extends through a steady bearing 30, for the purpose of steadying the entire mechanism, and carries at its lower end a plow or scraper 3| which is adapted to rotate in the sludge hopper 24 and discourage the packing or solidification of mud or sludge therein.

The column 26 extends through a central opening in a cover plate 32 which forms the top of the scum chamber l3 and an insulating gland or ring 33 is provided to seal the opening through which the feed column passes. Within the confines of the scum chamber I3 the feed column 26 carries, in rigid fashion, one or more scum scrapers or squeegees 36, in the form of arcuate or helical strips attached at one" end to the feed column and strengthened by suitable braces 35. The squeegees 36 are positioned with their convex sides faced toward the direction of rotation of the center column assembly. When the apparatus is employed in the clarification of hot limed sugar Juices, considerable foam is produced in the liquid undergoing treatment and this foam rises to the top and ultimately' into the scum chamber l'3, where it is confined by the side wall of the chamber and the cover plate 32. Thus," it will be seen that rotation of the squeegees 36 in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 4 will force the scum toward the peripheral wall of the scum chamber and ultimately over the weir I where it can fiow by ,gravity through the scum discharge conduit. H.

Immediately below the scum chamber l3is the uppermost compartment A of the clarifier which forms the flocculation zone or compartment wherein new feed is subjected to gentle mechanic'al agitation to promote the amassment and coagmentation of minute solids, colloids and crystalloids into fiocs or agglomerates of'settleable size. At a location on the feed column 26 that will normally be within the compartment A, the column is provided with a radially ar ranged series of ports or openings in the form of elongated slots 36 with which there are associated what may be termed tangentially extending battles 31 which extend from the trailing vertical edges of the slots 36 in the direction of rotation of the column 26 for a purpose which will presently appear.

Also within the confines of the upper compartment A, the column 26 supports in rigid fashion a series of radially spaced vertical flocculating blades or paddles which are adapted to rotate with the column and assist the flocculation action. In the present embodiment this fioccu-' suitable dcraces 40 extending from the conduit 26 adjacent the top l2 of the tank and the flocculation compartment A. It will be understood that rotation of the blades 39, co-incident with rotation of the center column 26 will impart a general agitative effect to the contents of the compartment A for the purpose of promoting flocculation thereof. In this operation it is deof disruptive eifect upon the fiocculated and flocculating particles. For this reason, it is preferred that the blades 33 be substantially V-shaped in cross section with the apexes of the Vs pointing in the direction of rotation, as is clearly seen in Fig. 4. These V-shaped fiocculator blades produce a maximum horizontal defiection in the liquid with a minimum tendency tablished fact that,- in the mechanical fioccula-' tion of suspended solids, by means of moving or rotating paddles or blades, the most. eflective results are produced if the paddles are caused to move at a speed of about 1.5 feet per second. However, since the center column 26 carries the well known sludge rakes or scrapers in each of the settling compartments of the clarifier, it is a undesirable to rotate the column 26 at a speed suflicient to cause blades 33 to travel ata rate of about 1.5 feet per second, because such operation would then revolve the sludge rakes at a speed that would be so great as to interfere with satisfactory sedimentation. Therefore. in. the

present invention, the contents of the fiocculation compartment A are caused to swirl or to be maintained in gentle rotary motion, which.

is in a direction opposite to that in which the column 26 and fiocculator blades 23 travel. For this purpose thesupply of f d to the device-all of which first enters the i1 culation compartment, is furnished through a feed conduit 62,

which enters the flocculation compartment A through the peripheral wallthereof in atangential manner. At the point of entry of the feed supply pipe 42 there is provided interiorly- .of the tank wall, a feed baflle 43 which is arranged to afford only a narrow constricted passired that the agitation, although definite and sage 34 through which the. feed must flow into the compartment A. The fiow of feed is thus materially constricted and issues through the passage 44 under considerable pressure, thus assuring themaintenance in the compartment A of a positive rotarymotion of the. contents thereof in a direction opposite to that of the direction of rotation of the column 26' and flocculator blades 33. It is thus found that, with the column 26 rotating at a speed satisfactory'for efficient sludge raking. and the contents of the flocculation zone A rotating or swirling in the opposite direction, there can be set up a relative movement between the blades 36 and the contents of the flocculation zone A that is of. the order of about 1.5 feet per second. Thus, an efiicientflocculation treatment is given to the contents of compartment A and the fiocculated liquid, after having entered at the periphery of the compartment and traversed its area while tributed to the various subjacent settling compartments as will presently appear.

The tubular feed column 26 extends downwardly through suitable central openings 46 provided in each of the trays 22, the openings 46 being of suflicient diameter to provide ample clearance around the feed column for forming part of the vertical sludge passageway as will hereinafter appear.

The said column extends a considerable distance downwardly into the lowermost compartment E where it is provided with the shaft ex-V tension 28 as previously described. From the feed column 26 the downwardly flowing flocculated liquid passes into each of the compartments B, C, D, and E through openings or ports 46 which are located in the side wall of the feed column at points slightly below each of the trays 22, and are preferably four in number and spaced equi-distant about the periphery of the feed column. From each of the ports 46 there extends a short horizontal conduit 41 through which the feed passes to flow into each of the sedimentation compartments. The conduits 41 are also utilized for the support of the non-continuous cyindrical sections forming the peripheral boundary of the sludge passageway as will hereinafter appear. It is understood that the outlet ports 46 and feed conduits 41 should be unobstructed and as large cross sectionally as is practicable and as short as possible in order to minimize any tendency toward disruption of the delicate floc structures in the fiocculated liquid. It will be appreciated that the number and cross sectional area of the ports 46 and conduits 41 will provide for an ample volume of feed to each of the compartments B, C, D, and E proportional to the amount and rate of withdrawal of clarified liquid through the overflow or draw-oil pipes 29. Downwardly depending annular boots or baiiles 48 are provided on the undersurface of each of the trays 22, which surround the feed conduit and associated sludge passageway, and are spaced somewhat from the outer ends of the feed conduits 41. These boots serve the purpose of deflecting feed to each compartment downwardly and prevent short circuiting of the incoming liquid so as not to disturb the supernatant layer of clarified liquid which normally exists in the upper portion of the settling compartmenta In each of the compartments B, C, D, and E, the feed column 26 carries in rigid fashion a surrounding short cylindrical sleeve or section 49 which is supported primarily by the conduits 41, which extend through its peripheral wall, and which may also be attached to the column 26 by webs 69 integral with the column 26 and sleeves 49 or welded to each. Rigidly attached to and carried by the lower ends of the sleeves 49 are the radially extending rake arms 6| which carry the well known sludge rakes or scrapers 62. These sets of rake arms and blades are preferably four in number, spaced about the periphery of the sleeves 49 approximately 90 from one another. As is customary practice one diametrically opposite set of rakes preferably extends substantially to the peripheral wall of the tank, whereas the other diametrically opposite set is somewhat shorter, with the long and short sets being arranged in staggered relation in'the compartments in descending order as clearly seen in Fig. 1.

These raking assemblies rotate slowly co-incident with turning of the center column 26 and convey sediment or mud settling upon the upper surface of each tray 22 towards the center thereof, where it is ultimately impelled into and cascades downwardly through the central tray openings 46. At the edge of each opening 46, each tray 22 is provided with a short downwardly depending baille or boot 69- which overlaps and telescopes within the upper end of each of the sleeves 49, thus forming a liquid seal to prevent sludge-passing downwardly through an opening 46 from entering and mixing with the contents of 'the next lower compartment. It will thus be seen that the sediment from all of the compartments A, B, C, and D is impelled toward the central openings 46 and flows downwardly therethrough and through the annular sludge passageway formed by the wall of the conduit 26 and the cylindrical sleeves 49, being effectively confined therein by the overlapping or telescopic arrangement of the sleeves 49 and the boots 69. On the other hand, some of the liquid within each of the settling compartments may pass over the upper edge of the sleeves 49 and into the annular space between said sleeves and the boots 63 and thus exist therein in the presence of the falling mud and thereby efiectively discourage any tendency for the falling mud to cake or deposit upon the annular surfaces. The falling mud thus forms a complete annular curtain confined between the column 26 and the sleeve 49 and falls in substantially unhindered and unobstructed manner into the lowermost compartment E, where it all finally deposits upon the upper surface of the tank bottom II and is raked into the discharge hopper 24.

In the lower compartment E there is provided a sludge thickening mechanism in the form of whathas become known as a picket fence thickening mechanism. For this purpose the shaft extension 28 fixedly supports the radially ex tending arms 64 to which are secured the upstanding palings or stirrers 65. may be further braced by arms 66 carried by the lower end of the tubular column 26 and by suitable guys 61 and braces 69. It is understood that,

in the normal operation of the device, a substantial accumulation or blanket of mud or sludge is maintained in the lower compartment E upon the bottom II. The palings 66, rotating slowly through the upper strata of this sludge blanket, produce voids therein in their wake which permit the up-flow from the sludge blanket of entrapped liquid released by the stirring action of the palings. Thus, there finally accumulates in the lower stratum of the sludge blanket and immediately upon the bottom II, a dense sludge which is conveyed and impelled by the rakes or scrapers 69 carried by the arms 64, to and into the discharge hopper 24 from whence the thick sludge or mud can be drawn continuously or periodically through valved outlet pipe 26.

The clarified liquid overflow or withdrawal pipes 23 in each settling compartment extend about the periphery of the compartment and 5 adjacent its uppermost extremity and are provided with openings or ports 23a for permitting clarified liquid to pass into the overflow pipes. Each draw-off pipe 23 is provided with a T-joint or fitting 66, the leg of which extends through the outer wall of the tank I 0 and is connected with a vertical riser or standpipe 69a which rises to the overflow box 61 wherein the effective overflow height of each sedimentation compartment, except the uppermost, can be controlled by means of hand wheels 62 adapted to operate adjustable These palings slidable sleeves on the upper ends of the standnished as a complete entity ready to install inexpipes. The clarified liquid p from the overisting tank structures. The essential elements fiow box 6| through the discharge pipe indicated of this integral assembly are seen to be the tubu-' at C3 and may be disposed of or otherwise treated lar conduit 2 provided with suitable ports or as desired. The stand pip'es and overflow box I 5 openings I in its upper portion with which may and their functions and modes of operation are be associated the tangential bailles 31. These well known in the art, preferably taking the form baiiles may of coursebe dispensed with and, if seen in the Rolston Patent No. 2,195,739. present, may be easily provided by being punched In the operation of the device, in treating sugar out from the wall of the tubular column to projuices for the removal of suspended impurities, videthe. openings 36, leaving the punched out the hot limed juice is introduced into the fiocculasections disposed at an oblique angle to form the tlon compartment A tangentially through the bames 31. At lower portions of the column 2! supply pipe 42 and restricted inlet geway ll, there are provided the ports 46 and outwardly thus maintaining a definite'swirling or rotary extending short feed conduits 41, associated with motion in the contents of the flocculation none. the por 46 and supp r ing the circumferentially At the same time, the center column 28 is rotated spaced sleeves 49, which may be further attached in the opposite direction, as indicated'by arrows to the column 28 by webs It as previously menin Fig. 4, causing the fiocculator blades 19 totioned. This center assembly may of course be travel slowly about the compartment A. There provided with various means such as brackets is thus set up between the-swirling liquid and 20 64. bolt holes N'and'ears 66 for the purpose of the rotating fiocculator blades a relative motion. attaching cooperative parts such as the flocculawhich may be of the order of 1.5 feet per second, tor arms 38 and 40, rake arms BI, and the like. resulting in efilcient amassment and coagmenta- It is understood however, that these are not estion of the suspended particles-in the liquid into sentlal elements of the assembly and' may ,be

fioc structures of settleable size. The inoculated- P v in ll n the l wh n quippin liquid is directed by the tangential bailles 31 a tray clarifier with the center assembly of this through the ports. I and passes. downwardly invention. It is also understood that the centhrough the tubular feed column! and emerges ter assembly may be made and furnished as a into each of the settling compartments 3. C, D complete device with rake arms and'blades, fiocand E, through the ports 46, and feed conduit culator mechanisms, and sludge thickening demtions being givena downward direction in vices, or any of them attached and made a unieach settling compartment by the annular bailles tary part thereof. ll. In each of these settling compartments the Fig. 9 illustrates a modification in the conud Settles upon the upper surface of each tray struction and arrangement of the center assem- 22 by the action of sedimentation and a relatively 35 bly. The construction of this figure isarranged clarified quid passes into the overflow pipe'il so that all of the material discharged from the through the ports 23a, and from thence into the flocculation compartment A must necessarily overflow box 6| to ultimate disposal. pass into the feed section of the center assem- The mud or sediment on the upper surface of bly. To accomplish this, the feed column 28 is each tray 22 is continuously urged and im- -interrupted at a point adjacent the upper part Pelled w rd he c n ral penin s 6 by the roof the uppermost settling compartment, and its tating sludge rakes II and 52 and passes downremaining upper portion is in the form of a se j wardly through the annular passageway formed rate tubular section of smaller diameter. Thus. by the tubular column 26, and the cylindrical there is provided the upper tubular section I Sleeves possibly assisted by the presence of a which is of smaller diameter than the main porsmall amount of liquid which may pass over th 'tion of the feed column 26. The section 68 is pper ends of the sleeves 49. Thus the mud is of sufficiently small diameter to be received Passed dly completely through the clarlwithin the downwardly depending boot It and fier and is effectively confined throughout its provide annular clearance therewith forperdownward travel and does not'at any time come mitting material to pass downwardly through the with h feed Passing to each comopening 45 and into the main portion 2a of the partment. It is ultimately delivered to the lowfeed column. Thesection i} is firmly and rigidly "most pflrtment E where it is thickened by attached to the main feed conduit 26 by means the P et fence'mechanism 55, along with solids of ,webs or spider connections 68 and is supported settling in that partment. All of the mud at its upper end in the same manner illustrated eventually settles into a relatively dense strucin Figure 1. Thus, the discontinuous but rigidly me up n the tank bottom II and is raked to dis- 'united sections 58 and 26 rotate as a unit for the the lower ud e rakes so. The flow purpose hereinbefore clearly set forth.. The main P ths of the feed liquid and of the sludge in its section 26 of the feed column telescopes with and.

mnflned Velma! passageway are clearly illus- 60 surrounds the boot it to form a liquid seal and trated in Fig. 3, where the large arrows indi at prevent any sludge passing through the open- .the fiocculated feed entering the column 26 and ing 4! from entering the settling compartto the several settling compartments ment 3. through the ports 46 and conduit sections 41. Inother respects, the center assembly ofFigur The slud path is indicated by the small ar- 9 operates in the same manneras does that of r ws Passing downwardly through the vertical the previously described form. The essential slu W y- This passageway, as is readcharacteristic of the device of Figure 9 is that the ily seen. is annular in form and presents no aninterrupted and telescoped arrangement of the gular surfaces upon which the mud can deposit sections 28 and 68 provides that the sludge pasfl v 70 sageway ll from the flocculation zone A com- Figure 8 shows the center column assembly of municates with the interior of the said conduit 26. tubular feed column and associated surrounding This assures that all of the material treated'in sleeves for defining the sludge passageway, which v the fiocculated zone A will pas into the feed assembly constitutes a prime novel feature of the conduit and ultimately be subjected to sedimeninvention and maybe manufactured and furtation in the subiacent settling compartments.

The lower portions of the feed column 28 in all of the settling compartments are constructed and arranged in the same fashion seen in Figures 1 and 3, the essential difference between the two modifications being that in Figure 1 any sediment settling in the flocculation compartment is passed into the vertical sludge passageway and falls to the lowermost compartment with settled sludge from other settling compartments. On the other hand, in the modification of Figure 9 any sediment from the flocculation zone is passed, along with liquid entering the ports 36, directly into the main feed colunm 26 and is subsequently subjected to sedimentation in the subjacent settling compartments.

In any form of the invention, however, the principal characteristics include a plurality of superposed settling compartments surmounted by a feed chamber which preferably contains mechanical fiocculating means, a centrally disposed tubular rotative member which supports and actuates sludge raking elements and also constitutes a conduit for distributing liquid from the feed or flocculation chamber to the various settling compartments, and means defining an annular vertical sludge path, surrounding but functionally separated from the tubular feed conduit, whereby sludge is passed into the lowermost compartment from upper compartments.

Thusjthe feed of liquid to be clarified is distributed to the various settling compartments evenly and with a minimum tendency toward disruption of floc structures, while at the same time sludge or sediment, which in the case of sugar juice, is highly thixotropic in nature, is passed from upper compartments to the lowermost one along a clear and unobstructed vertical pathway without contaminating the feed liquid or disturbrality of substantially horizontal partitions mounted in said tank and dividing the latter into a plurality of superposed compartments and each formed with a central opening, means for introducing liquid to be clarified into the upper most oi said compartments, a vertical center column assembly rotatably mounted in said tank and extending through the central openings in said partitions and formed to provide separate concentrically arranged vertical passageways, one of said passageways constituting a feed conduit, ports in the conduit in communication with 'said compartments for conducting liquid to be clarified from said uppermost compartment to the subjacent compartments, and the other of said passageways being open at its lower end to the lowermost compartment and comprising wall portions with openings between them in communication with the upper compartments and adapted to discharge into the lowermost compartment settled sludge received from upper compartments, means for rotating said assembly, means in each of said upper compartments for impelling solids settling therein toward the center thereof and into said last mentioned openings, means for withdrawing clarified liquid from some of said compartments, and means for withdrawing settled sludge out of the clarifier from the lowermost compartment thereof.

aeaaa'ra 2. A tray clarifier as specified in claim 1, in which the uppermost compartment is adapted for use as a flocculation compartment, rotative bladed assemblies in said flocculation compartment for promoting amassment of minute particles of fiocs of settleable size and means for rotating said bladed assemblies, and in which the said feed conduit is adapted to pass said flocs with relatively small disintegration thereof into the subjacent compartments.

3. A tray clarifier as specified in claim 1 in which the said sludge passageway surrounds the said feed conduit.

4. In a tray clarifier comprising a plurality of superposed compartments and substantially horizontal partitions separating said compartments and each formed with a central opening, means for feeding liquid to be clarified into the uppermost of said compartments and means in the compartments for impelling sludge settling therein toward said central openings, a vertical rotatable center column assembly serving as a support for said sludge impelling means and comprising a tubular member extending through said openings and having inlet ports within the uppermost compartment for the admission to said tubular member of liquid to be clarified and having outlet ports communicating with the subjacent compartments for the feed thereto of liquid from said uppermost compartment, and cylindrical sleeves surrounding said tubular member in said adjacent compartments and spaced circumferentially from said tubular member to provide an annular vertical sludge passageway open at its lower end to the lowermost compartment and spaced apart at levels adjacent said openings to provide sludge outlets from the compartments above the lowermost compartment to said sludge passageway, means connecting said sleeves to said tubular member without obstructing said sludge passageway, and means for rotating said center column assembly.

5. As an article of manufacture, a central column assembly adapted to be rotatably mounted in a tray clarifier having an upper feed compartment and having subjacent settling compartments with partitions between said compartments and each having a central opening, said assembly comprising a tubular member having inlet ports in its upper portion adapted to be located within the feed compartment of the clarifler in which the assembly is mounted and to extend through the central openings thereof, said tubular member also having sets of vertically spaced outlet openings, each set of outlet openings being located within a corresponding setpassageway from the different compartments of,

said clarifier above its lowermost compartment, and means connecting said sleeves to said tubular member without obstructing flow through said annular passageway.

6. An article of manufacture as specified in claim 5 comprising baflles associated with the said inlet ports in the upper portion of said tubular memberv and extending tangentially away from the latter.

'7. As an article of manufacture, a central column assembly for a tray clarifier having an upper feed chamber and subjacent settling compartments and separated by partitions each formed with a central opening, said assembly comprising a tubular member having inlet ports in its upper portion and having spaced sets of outlet ports in a lower portion, relatively short conduits extending laterally from said outlet ports to said settling compartmentsand sleeves surrounding said tubular member, one adjacent each of said sets of outlet ports and being supported by the corresponding laterally extending conduits.

8. In a tray clarifier comprising an upper flocculation compartment and a plurality of subjacent settling compartments and substantially horizontal partitions separating said compartments and each formed with a central opening in alignment with the central openings of the other partitions, mechanical flocculating means ports form a feed flow path for the downflow of liquid from said chamber to the different compartments, said body portion also comprising cylindrical wall elements surrounding and spaced in said flocculation compartment and means in the settling compartments fordmpellingsludge settling therein toward said central openings, a vertical central column assembly rotatively mounted in said clarifier and serving as a support for said flocculating and sludge impelling means and comprising a tubular member extending through said openings and having inlet ports within said flocculation chamber for the admission to said tubular member of flocculated liquid and having outlet ports communicating with said settling chambers for the feed thereto of flocculated liquid, cylindrical sleeves surrounding said tubular member and located in said settling compartments and spaced circumferentially from said tubular member to provide a vertical sludge passageway open at its lower end to the lowermost compartment and spaced apart at levels adjacent said openings to provide outlets from the compartment above the lowermost compartment to said sludge passage-'- way, said clarifier also comprising a scum chamber above said flocculation compartment and having an outlet for scum, and means carried by said tubular member for forcing scum through said outlet.

9. A tray clarifier comprising a plurality of superposed sedimentation compartments and partitions separating said compartments and each formed with a central opening, and comprising a feed chamber above said compartments, means for feeding liquid to be clarified into said chamber, a structure rotatably mounted in said clarifier and comprising means in said compartments for impelling sludge settling therein toward said central openings and also comprising a body por away from said tubular wall element to form an annular sludge flow path surrounding but separated from the first mentioned flow path, said cylindrical elements being spaced apart to form openings through which said sludge path communicates with the difierent compartments and is adapted to discharge into the lowermost compartment settled solids received from the other compartments, means. for rotating said structure, means for withdrawing clarified liquid from the difierent clarifying compartments and means for passing settled solids out of the clarifier from the lowermostcompartment thereof.

10. In the operation of a tray clarifier having an upper flocculation compartment and subjacent settling compartments, and also having rotative mechanical flocculating means in said flocculation compartment and rotative sludge raking elements in said settling compartments all supported from and rotated by a common unitary rotative central column, the method which comprises rotating said central column and the mechanism supported therefrom at normal sludge raking speeds to cause said sludge raking elements to impel settled solids toward the center to said compartments Without interfering substantially with sedimentation, introducing liquidv tion of said liquid and the speed of the resultant swirl so that there results between the'contents of said flocculation compartment and said mechanical flocculating means a relative movement which is; of the order of 1.5 feet per second.

11. In the operation of a tray clarifier having an upper flocculation compartment and subjacent settling compartments, and also having r0,- tative mechanical flocculating means in said flocculation compartment and rotative sludge raking elements in said settling compartments all' supported from and rotated by a common unitary rotative central column, the method which comprises rotating said central column and the mech anism supported therefrom at normal sludge raking speeds to cause said sludge raking. elements to impel settled solids toward the center of said compartments without interfering substantially with sedimentation, introducing liquid to be flocculated and clarified into said flocculation compartment, causing the contents of said compartment to swirl in a direction opposite to that of the rotation of said mechanical flocculating means, and controlling the speed of the swirl so that there results between the contents of said flocculation compartment and said mechanical flocculating means a relative movement which is of the order of 1.5 feet per second.

- WILLIAM C. WEBER. 

